Networking architectures have grown increasingly complex in communication environments. This complexity has resulted in numerous protocols being implemented in order to ensure that network elements are aware of their surroundings and to direct packets in an efficient manner. For example, certain network elements may exchange packets in order to indicate to each other the absence or presence of an adjacent network element or to provide routing updates. In this manner, neighbors are able to become aware of their surroundings and direct or manage traffic properly.
The signaling data that gets passed between network elements is crucial for effective routing of information or data. The signaling data serves as a basis for an effective synchronization between elements. However, as network systems become more sophisticated, this information exchange may become cumbersome. This may be due to any number of reasons, such as having a prolific amount of network elements in the system or having an abundance of signaling data being exchanged between network elements. As a result, the propagation and processing of such signaling data can be arduous. Moreover, in virtually all networking architectures, speed is a critical issue.
The exchange of signaling data generally slows communication speeds and inhibits system performance. In certain cases, signaling data may be exchanged and then quickly become obsolete, as a given network element disappears (e.g. fails or gets removed from the network). Hence, in some circumstances certain signaling data may be exchanged and then not used again. As a result, certain scenarios could benefit from only minimal data exchanges, with a subsequent opportunity for a future retrieval of additional information. Thus, the ability to offer a system or a protocol that effectively synchronizes existing network elements (without hindering system speeds, taxing processing capabilities of network components, or exchanging a large amount of data that could be irrelevant later) provides a significant challenge to network designers, component manufacturers, and system administrators.